Friday, May 17, 2013

How Do I Treat Whitefly On Gardenia?

Whitefly

Almost every yard in the south has at least one gardenia. Planted by
generations of gardeners for their exotically fragrant white blossoms,
these tough evergreen shrubs are salt tolerant, drought tolerant, and
deer resistant. One thing they cannot resist is the tiny whitefly. These
petite pests cause gardenia leaves to turn yellow and drop from spring
through fall. Plants may also appear dark or sooty. If this describes
the gardenia in your yard, you should check it now for whitefly and
determine if treatment is needed.On some bushes, whiteflies never seem to get out of hand. This is
because their populations are kept in check by beneficial insects,
including ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps. If you find whitefly
on your gardenia but it is otherwise healthy with lots of clean, green
leaves, you probably do not need to treat. In fact, applying pesticides
can disrupt the balance between beneficial and pest insects, causing the
pest insects to become the dominant species.If treatment is needed, options for controlling whitefly include applying organic and synthetic insecticides. Learn more: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2013/05/how-do-i-treat-whitefly-on-gardenia/